A California regional commuter train line announced recently that it will launch a text alert system to notify customers of delays.
According to the Manteca Bulletin, the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) will notify passengers of delays and other information relevant to their journey.
ACE currently operates from Stockton, California through San Jose, California, with 10 total stations along the rail line. According to Capital Public Radio, ACE services 4,800 customers every weekday with its four round trip runs.
"Providing passengers with train tracking methods is essential in today's digital age," Stacey Mortensen, executive director of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, told the Manteca Bulletin. "Our goal was to provide our existing and future ridership with tools to receive real-time train updates on a multi-platform system. We are excited that we can add automated text responses to the already established interactive train map and email/text alerts. This will give more options for those who want to engage with the ACE Train."
The alert system will work two ways. Customers can go to ACE's website to sign up for text alerts and will receive information about delays or other travel information, including descriptions of what the status of the train is. The company also set up a short code and keyword that users can text to the company in order to receive real-time responses and find out the train's status at that moment.
A spokesperson pointed out that, with the vast majority of mobile phone users utilizing their phone's texting capabilities, ACE identified that platform as a way to provide updates to their customers.
Companies can also utilize the power of bulk SMS services with the SMS API from Swift SMS Gateway.
